IND vs ENG 1st Test: Nasser Hussain backs Ben Stokes' call to bowl first despite tough opening day

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has defended Ben Stokes’ decision to bowl first in the opening Test against India at Headingley. Hussain said that even though the call didn’t work out as planned, it was based on recent toss records at the venue, where teams have won bowling first in the last six matches.

Nasser Hussain backs Ben Stokes

England’s bowlers struggled on Day 1 after Stokes opted to field, with India piling on the runs thanks to centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill and a solid opening show by KL Rahul. Despite the outcome, Hussain said that Stokes made a fair call at the toss.

“If evidence was required that it wasn’t an easy decision for Ben Stokes at the toss, it came from India’s new captain Shubman Gill who confirmed he was also going to bowl,” Hussain wrote in his column. “Fifteen years ago, if you’d seen the blue sky and that pitch, of course you would have batted first, but recent history tells you Headingley is a bowl-first ground,” he added.

Hussain also explained that the pitch tends to get better for batting as the match progresses, saying that it further justifies Stokes’ decision to bowl first. He said that England’s bowlers didn’t get their lines and lengths right on the opening day, which made it easier for Indian batters to score runs.

“To be fair, the ball did a bit in the morning session too, swinging much earlier than usual. It normally takes 12-15 overs for the lacquer to come off, but here it was swinging after half an hour. England just got their lines and their lengths wrong and India’s batsmen could leave comfortably.”

Hussain said the criticism of Stokes’ decision to bowl first is a little unfair even though India finished Day 1 in a dominant position. “By its end, India were well and truly in the ascendancy and of course the decision by Stokes eight hours earlier looked dubious - but recent history explains his reasoning."

Rishabh Pant completed his century on Day 2 of the match. After Gill and Pant’s dismissal, India suffered a mini-collapse and were bowled out for 471 just after lunch. It is still a pretty good total considering that India lost the toss and were asked to bat first. England will now look to score as many runs to give themselves a chance in the match.